Rapid and accurate measurement of biological and chemical analytes is important in many fields, including diagnostics, industrial process control, environmental monitoring, and scientific research. A wide range of chemical and biomolecule sensors have been developed that utilize an interface between electrochemical signal-generating processes and electronics for collecting, processing and storing such signals (See for example: Ferrigno et al, Conf Proc. IEEE Eng. Med. Biol. Soc., 1: 4144-4146 (2009); Henry et al, Electrophoresis, 30: 3398-405 (2009); Lingerfelt et al, Meth. Mol. Biol., 385: 103-120 (2007); Ackley et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,423,271; Ackley et al, U.S. Pat. No. 7,241,419). Chemically sensitive, and in particular, ion-sensitive field effect transistors (“chemFETs” and “ISFETs” respectively) may be used for such measurements (See for example: Bergveld, Sensors and Actuators, 88: 1-20 (2003); Yuqing et al, Biotechnology Advances, 21: 527-534 (2003)). Arrays of such sensors may be fabricated using integrated circuit technologies to obtain spatially distributed and multi-analyte measurements using a single device (See for example: Yeow et al, Sensors and Actuators B 44: 434-440 (1997); Martinoia et al, Biosensors & Bioelectronics, 16: 1043-1050 (2001); Milgrew et al, Sensors and Actuators B 103: 37-42 (2004); Milgrew et al, Sensors and Actuators B, 111-112: 347-353 (2005); Hizawa et al, Sensors and Actuators B, 117: 509-515 (2006); Heer et al, Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 22: 2546-2553 (2007)). Such devices may find applications in research, medicine, industrial process monitoring, and environmental science. Additionally, such devices may be configured to operate with various disposable or consumable components. However, such devices present a design challenge because although they should be easy and convenient to use, they should also be able to provide robust or leak free operation where a liquid sample may be analyzed by the sensor providing output data or electrical signal responses without potential damage to ancillary electronic components or devices.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide a device for establishing robust and substantially leak free electrical interface connections that may be used in connection with chemFET sensors or arrays and ancillary or supporting electronic components. It would be further desirable to provide an electrical connection suitable for adaption for use in a chemFET sensor chip or array that is corrosion resistant and able to operate in the presence of a liquid sample.